Our Junior Presenter Seminars for a Cause
Please note: Our Junior Presenter Seminars for a Cause are separate from Junior Instructor Course Offerings.
Gifted kids love to share their passions and make a difference. Our Junior Presenters are gifted young people with a desire to share information they are passionate about with others.
In our Junior Presenter Seminars for a Cause, a Junior Presenter leads a 50-60 minute webinar filled with information to excite their peers. All of our Junior Presenters are current or former students of Athena’s Advanced Academy.
Junior Presenters select a secular charity or non-profit aligned with their subject matter or one that holds personal significance, with the proceeds benefiting their chosen charity.
Athena’s Junior Presenter Seminars for a Cause!
Sign up to support our students & their favorite charities!
Join these amazing Athena’s kids as they share fascinating information about all kinds of topics and make a difference in the process!
- Students (including those not registered at Athena’s), friends, & family members are welcome to attend!
- Junior Presenter seminar webinars are monitored by an adult supervisor.
How to Attend – Returning Summer 2025
- Donate $7.00 or More to the Junior Presenter’s charity of choice.
- Below, Click “Enroll” & Fill Out the corresponding form at least 24 hours before the seminar.
Junior Presenter Single Seminars – 2024 — Returning Summer 2025
Monday,
June 3
3:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Bernardo de Galvez, the Spanish Hero of the American Revolution
Discover the story of Bernardo de Galvez, whose victory at the Battle of Pensacola turned the tide of the Revolutionary War.
Along the way, we’ll learn why his portrait took 231 years to arrive at the Capitol.
Junior Presenter: Iago the Historiographer
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Monday,
June 3
4:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
The Story of the Calculator
Did you know that the first programmable calculator was conceptualized in the early 1800s, or that the first scientific calculator was invented 2000 years ago? There’s more to learn about!
Come to my presentation on the fascinating history of calculating devices, from the earliest abacus to the most intricate modern graphing calculators!
Junior Presenter: Nathan the Exponential Explorer
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Emma Stein
Charity: The Computer History Museum
Monday,
June 10
3:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Queer Linguistics
Join this journey through the language of Queerness, from slang to Polari to symbology!
We will learn about the creation of these cants, explore the ways they were really used, and send up some early theories about them.
Junior Presenter: Ellis the Queer Historian
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: Trans Lifeline
Tuesday,
June 11
11:00 AM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Decoding Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is a fascinating book, but people who read it at the time it was written, understood way more of it, than we do.
Let’s look at the novel through the eyes of a Regency-era reader, you’ll be surprised how much we miss with our 21st-century eyes.
Junior Presenter: Aggie the Bookworm
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: Armenia Fund
Tuesday,
June 11
3:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
EcoArt: Being Repurposeful with Plastics
What do we do with all this trash? Anyone can be repurposeful with single-use and old items!
Come get creative with us and learn more about the four Rs – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Junior Presenter: Calliope (CJ) the EcoArtist
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: The EcoLogik Institute
Wednesday,
June 12
9:00 AM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Guitars: Their influence on music as we know it
Discover the rich history of guitars and the fascinating details that make them unique and popular in my upcoming webinar, Guitars: Their Influence on Music as We Know It.
Join me to explore the evolution of this amazing instrument, from its origins to the modern stage of music.
Junior Presenter: Caitlin The Guitar Enthusiast
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: Girls Rock! Chicago
Wednesday,
June 12
12:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Dynasties of Imperial China
Join me on a whirlwind tour through China’s 4000 years of imperial history.
We’ll cover all the greats: great people, great battles, great innovations, and great cultural achievements!
Junior Presenter: Milo the Magnetar
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: Asia Society
Wednesday,
June 12
2:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Famous Female Chess Players
Have you ever heard of Bobby Fischer? Probably, but how about Judit Polgar?
ln this Junior Presenter seminar, we will learn about famous female chess players who you may not have heard of!
Junior Presenter: Auden the Chess Queen
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Emma Stein
Charity: Malala Fund
Monday,
June 17
1:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Intro to Pokémon Battles
Learn everything you need to know about Pokémon battles that the games don’t tell you!
You’ll get to know the ins and outs of Natures, EV’s, IV’s, and more!
Junior Presenter: Mary the Pokémon Master
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: Memphis Zoo
Tuesday,
June 18
10:00 AM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
All About Cats
In this fun presentation, we will learn about cat history, cat anatomy, and all things cats.
If you love cats or are interested in cats this is the presentation for you! I hope to see you there!
Junior Presenter: Avery the Cat Lover
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: Humane Society of Boulder Valley
Tuesday,
June 18
1:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
CRISPR: A Closer Look at Genetic Engineering
Learn about the newest biotechnology being used to make huge breakthroughs.
Together, we will examine CRISPR in detail, going into the science of how it works, its applications, and the ethics of its use.
Junior Presenter: Aydyn the Biotechnology Researcher
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: Squash on Track
Tuesday,
June 18
4:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Exploring Aviation
From 747s to Cessna 172s, come fly into the world of aviation!
We’ll learn about the history of flight, how to control an airplane, airliner identification, and more.
Junior Presenter: Anna the Aviation Enthusiast
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Dr. Kirsten Stein
Charity: Experimental Aircraft Association
Monday,
June 24
1:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Spanish Mythology
Discover the world of Spanish mythology, filled with tales of witches, werewolves, and the mysterious Cave of Salamanca. We will explore the magic and mystery of these and other legends in Spain’s folklore.
Junior Presenter: Nova the Whimsical Bookworm
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Lauren Allen
Charity: The Trevor Project
Monday,
July 8
10:00 AM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Bird Intelligence: They’re Smarter Than You Think
Did you know that crows tell other crows to avoid certain people who have been mean to them?
In this junior presentation, learn more about the intelligent things that crows and many other species of birds can do.
Junior Presenter: Jack the Birdbrain
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Emma Stein
Charity: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Tuesday,
July 9
11:00 AM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
The World of Sea Turtles
Dive into the world of the sea turtles with us!
In this presentation, we will learn about different species of sea turtles and their habits, what turtle rescue programs like STAR do, and how we can help endangered turtles.
Junior Presenter: Bennett the Conservationist
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Emma Stein
Charity: Sea Turtle Assistance & Rehabilitation (STAR) Center (You can fill in STAR center in the “My Gift is For” Section. STAR is part of the NC Aquarium)
Wednesday,
July 10
11:00 AM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Open Source Software: What is it?
If you’re reading this, I’m pretty sure you’re using the internet, which means there’s a good chance you’ve encountered open-source software. Want to learn more?
In this presentation, we’ll cover what Open Source Software is, how it is beneficial, and a demonstration of the open-source ecosystem in action.
Junior Presenter: Ethan the Coder
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Lisa Billa
Charity: The Free Software Foundation
Wednesday,
July 10
1:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
All About Peregrine Falcons
If you like birds, this presentation is for you! You can explore everything about peregrine falcons here!
Learn about the amazing lives of peregrine falcons and how to identify them in this presentation!
Junior Presenter: Livia the Peregrine Falcon Lover
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Emma Stein
Charity: Cal Falcons Charity
Tuesday,
July 16
10:00 AM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Oceania: Continent of Sea
Learn about the treacherous voyages of the Polynesians, the survival of the last marsupials, and the majesty of the Great Barrier Reef.
Dive into the natural history, human history, geography, zoology, economy, and culture of these incredible islands.
Junior Presenter: Arden the Aspiring Islander
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Emma Stein
Charity: Oceana
Tuesday,
July 16
12:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
Mole Salamanders!
Do you like cute little creatures? Many people might be turned off by these awesome creatures known as mole salamanders because they are slimy, but please, look through the slime and into a world of unknown oddities, cute critters, and fascinating facts!
Local mole salamanders can be found in almost any wood near you. I promise you, you’ll leave my presentation knowing and liking your li’l buddies a li’l more.
Junior Presenter: Beckett brings Salamanders Once Again!
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Emma Stein
Charity: Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team (CAVPT)
Tuesday,
July 23
3:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
From the Triassic to the Modern Day: Animal Evolution
Ever wished you knew more about wooly mammoths or saber-toothed cats?
In this presentation, we’ll cover everything from the evolution of dinosaurs to the first humans!
Junior Presenter: Joshua The Carnotaurus King
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Becky Mentzer Riethmeier
Charity: Morehouse College Scholarship Fund
Wednesday,
July 24
1:00 PM
Pacific
Enrollment requires a Gmail account.
If you do not have a Gmail account, please contact us.
Everyone is welcome!
The Weird, Wacky, and Wonderful Mysteries of the Universe
In this presentation, you will learn about black holes, dark matter, dark energy, and more!
Whether you’re an astronomy nerd, a mystery lover, or just like science in general, this is the presentation for you!
Junior Presenter: Teddy the Astronomy Wiz
Athena’s Instructor Moderator: Prof. Becky Mentzer Riethmeier
Charity: DarkSky International
- 100% of the profits from the Junior Presenter seminars go to the Junior Presenter’s charity or non-profit of choice.
- Together Athena’s Junior Presenters raised $3,748.35 in 2024, bringing the grand total raised to $9,547.53 since 2018!